Molded curtain hanger



Aug. 4, 1959 F. RADLER MOLDED CURTAIN HANGER Filed Deo. 3 1956 zzz-5.75

- IN V EN TOR.

FRANKLIN RADLER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent i MOLDED CURTAIN HANGER Franklin Radler, Maplewood, NJ., assignor to Manufacturers Supply Co., New York, N.Y., a copartnersliip Application December 3, 19'56, Serial No. 625,804

2 Claims. (Cl. I6-87.2)

The invention relates to molded curtain hangers and a method of making such hangers.

Curtain hanger clips for supporting curtains and draperies from rods over windows and doorways have customarily been made of metal. For some purposes where the hanger clips are in plain view, as is the case for example with caf curtains hung from rods extending across the middle of the windows, such metal clips can be quite unattractive in appearance because of rusting, tarnishing, or because the metal may not be well suited to a particular scheme of decorating. Some attempts have been made to substitute molded plastic hangers for the metal clips, but it has not been discovered how to design and manufacture a molded plastic clip which would operate like the old spring clips made of metal. Such spring clips could be fastened to the upper hem of a curtain by simply squeezing the ring of the clip between the thumb and forenger to open the spring jaws of the clip, inserting the upper end of the curtain and releasing the clip. The construction in some cases entailed use of a split ring whose ends were crossed and bent to form projecting jaws. While such a construction can be manufactured quite simply from metal stampings by usual bending and metal-forming operations, quite a dilerent problem is presented where the clips are to be made of molded plastics which cannot be bent or formed like sheet metal. Faced with this problem, one inventor was able to devise a molded curtain hanger having a split ring with arms which do not have to be crossed and therefore were susceptible of being molded. Lacking the crossed arms, this inventor devised a serpentine channel between the uncrossed arms, this channel being lined with barbs for snagging the curtain material after it has been drawn into place. This arrangement lacked the simplicity of application and removal of the old metal clips.

Summary With my invention it becomes possible to combine the advantages of molded plastic construction with the principal advantages of a crossed arm spring clip construction. I have provided a molded curtain hanger comprising a resilient split ring molded with projecting jaws initially formed in spaced parallel relationship with their clamping portions facing away from one another. Because the jaws are in spaced parallel relationship as molded, the hanger can be molded in a simple two-part injection molding die without the use of special coring. Portions of the ring adjacent the projecting jaws are provided =with notches, one notch being open toward one side of the ring and the other notch being open toward the opposite side so that the jaws can be hooked together with their clamping portions facing toward one another. This is done by twisting and compressing the ring so that the jaws can be crossed and hooked into the opposed notches. This produces the desired snap-on spring clip construction in a molded plastic which requires no subsequent forming. The jaws can readily be hooked to- Patented Aug. 4 1959 ice gether by the user, although if desired, this may be done by the manufacturer. The action of hooking, or interlocking, the jaws together causes the clamping portions of the jaws to bear against one another under the initial compression of the compressed ring. The clamping portions of the ring preferably include projecting barbs arranged so that when the jaws have been hooked together the barbs are crossed.

Description With reference to the accompanying drawing, I shall describe the best mode contemplated by me for carrying out my invention.

Fig. 1 is a face view of my curtain hanger as molded in a conventional two part injection molding die.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail cross sectional View taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the hanger of Fig. 1 as it would appear during the operation of twisting and compressing the ring to bring the jaws past one another so they can be hooked together in interlocking relationship.

Fig. 4 is a face view of the same hanger as it appears after completion of the step of interlocking the jaws.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, my invention comprises a resilient split ring 5 with projecting jaws 6, 7 initially formed in spaced parallel relationship with their clamping portions 8 and 9 facing away from one another, portions of the ring adjacent the projecting jaws being provided with notches, one notch 10 being open toward one side of the ring and the other notch being open toward the opposite side. The clamping portions of the ring preferably include projecting elements such as the knobs shown at the ends of jaws 6 and 7 or the barbs 12 and 13.

Referring to Fig. 3, the action of hooking the jaws together involves twisting the sides of the ring laterally and compressing the ring until the jaws 6 and 7 pass one another. This much of the action has taken place in Fig. 3. Afterward the sides of the ring are brought back into the normal plane, interlocking the jaws 6 and 7, jaw 6 extending into notch 11 and jaw 7 in notch 10. Then upon releasing the ring the jaws will be brought to bear against one another under the initial compression of the ring created by the action `of interlocking the jaws. Fig. 4 shows the completed interlock. It will be noticed that the clamping portions of the jaws now face toward one another and that the barbs 12 and 13 are crossed.

In Fig. 2 it can be seen that the projecting barbs 12 and 13 are arranged in laterally offset relationship, each being disposed away from the notched side of the ring portion adjacent its respective jaw so that the jaws can be hooked together without interference by the barbs while bringing the barbs into the overlapping position shown in Fig. 4. If desired, the knob at the end of jaw 6 may be recessed, as at 14, to mate with the rounded surface of the opposed knob of jaw 7 (compare Figs. 1 and 4).

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used in a descriptive and not a limiting sense, and I have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. A molded curtain hanger comprising a resilient split ring with notched jaws, each of said jaws having a clamping portion which is smooth on one side of its transverse center line and is provided with a barb extending therefrom on the other side of said transverse center line, the barb on one of said jaws being on one side of the transverse center line and the barb on the other of said jaws being on the other side of the transverse center line, said hanger being initially molded in the form of a resilient split ring with said jaws extending in side by side spaced parallel alignment with their clamping portions facing away from one another and with said barbs projecting outwardly in laterally olset relationship.

2. A molded curtain hanger comprising a resilient split ring with notched jaws, each of said jaws having a clamping portion which is smooth on one side of its barbs projecting outwardly in laterally offset relationship, and each barb being on the side of said transverse center line away from the notched side of the respective jaw so that the notched jaws and barbs can be molded without the use of cores and so that the jaws can be hooked together without interference between the barbs while bringing the barbs into side by side overlapping position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 691,155 Marsky Ian. 14, 1902 1,564,301 Wilson Dec. 8, 1925 2,542,077 Gershen Feb. 20, 1951 2,583,020 Smith Ian. 22, 1952 

